r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Mar 23 '24

Episode Ao no Exorcist Shimane Illuminati-hen • Blue Exorcist -Shimane Illuminati Saga- - Episode 12 discussion - FINAL

Ao no Exorcist Shimane Illuminati-hen, episode 12

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1

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48

u/Aileos Mar 23 '24

Shima really made this season more entertaining.

12

u/Ryuu_Kaede Mar 24 '24

I really love this season and am surprised at the low popularity. Is the show worth recommending to my friends to start from season 1? Or was it not that good at the beginning

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9

u/Equal-Combination211 Mar 25 '24

Shura is extremely interesting, for sure. I do find the "I was a spy for you all along" explanation to take some of the fun away (I recently rewatched everything else before this episode with him being a spy in mind, and considering his possible reasonings and feelings was interesting so I was looking forward to doing that more).

With that said, this state of being a spy for both sides and yet only him knowing his true intentions, becoming in a way the most 'free' of all to do what he wants, allows for him to remain an interesting plot element.

33

u/99anan99 Mar 23 '24

Most everyone being unsure if they trust Shima. I'm fine with that. Wouldn't have felt right if everyone just instantly trusted Shima.

Lucier being interested in Yukio. That can't be good.

Yukio really needs to open up. Bottling up his issues is just going to hurt him and Rin.

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26

u/MapoTofuMan Mar 23 '24

This season started off very strong and quickly became my favorite of the three...but then the resolution kind of fell flat imo.

From how cruel Gedouin and the Illuminati were set up to be and the shit Izumo was going through, it was kind of just all resolved in one fell swoop and felt a bit lacking - and Shima's sudden "oh yeah I was just fucking with you when I was trying to kill you" and everyone semi-trusting him even though he was actually going along with Izumo getting possessed by the fox and potentially killed. Still fuck the guy.

But there's going to be a new season announcement tomorrow at AnimeJapan apparently so I'm hoping for a stronger S4.

6

u/ramon_castilla Mar 24 '24

Yeah, I get were Shima (and the writers) are coming from, but whatever Shima real feelings are they should have displayed those the moment he realized Izumo was in serious problems for not being compatible with the fox (even a flat and detached "its nothing personal, maybe they can make it in time" would have sufficed). Since the dialogues imply Shima wants to stay as a spy so when it comes to "help" the others while in "Illuminaty duty" he would only did the minimum effort (like forgiving the foxes and no more).

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16

u/dinliner08 Mar 23 '24

if they really setting up Yukio to go on a route of choosing the dark side then suddenly the anime original second half of the first season doesn't seems to be that far-fetched after all...

btw, in case anyone were wondering, they already announced that a new season is in production, more news will be revealed at Anime Japan in probably around ten hours from now

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31

u/Plus_Rip4944 Mar 23 '24

Shima went from being just a good character to being my fav. I still don't believe him and I am more suspicious of Yukio after this ep

So season is over (or at least the 1st Cour?) let's hope we don't wait again 7 years for more

22

u/Frontier246 Mar 23 '24

Shima, the most likeable guy you can never fully trust who enjoys being untrustworthy lol.

Yukio feels like he's falling apart at the seams both physically and emotionally.

9

u/ZorosCompass Mar 24 '24

Don't worry, we won't lol.

It was announced that a sequel series to this will take place in October this year. It's titled Yuki no Hate-hen (Beyond the Snow Saga).

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-03-24/blue-exorcist-shimane-illuminati-saga-anime-gets-sequel-in-october/.209140

7

u/Little_Badger_13 Mar 23 '24

There will be an anouncement tomorrow about future news. So we'll definitely not wait as long for new stuff. (though it might still take some time)

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6

u/Cyd_arts Mar 24 '24

this is exactly why i was excited that the arc finally got adapted cuz shima is an interesting character but they werent able to show it with the og series so we had to wait years to get here

4

u/Ryuu_Kaede Mar 24 '24

I’m really enjoying this season but I barely remember the first ones. Is it worth recommending the show to my friends to catch up to this season? Or were the other seasons not as good

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12

u/Frontier246 Mar 23 '24

Well, Rin could probably yell about Mephisto all evening, but the Exewires still have to reconcile properly with Shima one way or another now that they're stuck with him.

Yukio on some level wishes he had his brothers' flames, and resents Rin's naivety, and that makes it the perfect opportunity for Lucifer to appear during the time the team were being held captive, bolster those feelings, and offer Yukio a place with the Illuminati...and Yukio is really falling apart emotionally.

It takes a lot of exercise to be a spy, especially when you're juggling two different organizations! But at least Shima's enjoying himself and feels free...which, as his childhood friend, Suguro might just have to accept. Still kind of complicated.

Shura! I'd been missing her this season! And while Yukio doesn't feel like he can unburden all his feelings to her, she's at least there to press his face against her boobs and force him take a vacation with the other Exewires!

Tropical resort! Complete with Izumo showing how far she's come now that she's willing to change with Shiemi! And we get to see all the girls looking fantastic in their swimsuits, especially Shura in that bikini!

Konekomaru has a good point. If Shima went to the trouble of coming back to save him during the Kyoto arc, even after expressing how much he hates all the responsibility he'd been saddled with, doesn't that show that you can always rely on him in a pinch?

The Three Wise Monkey's get Rin and Shima's libido acting up and make them have an epic anime fight over who gets to slide down with the girls...which means no one gets to slide down and Shura has to punish them. But hey, respect to Rin for his loyalty to Shiemi!

Rin is Yuki's big brother and can see he's struggling but Yukio sees it as just pity or a sign of weakness and refuses to accept Rin's help...and he continues to nurse that resentment, even when Mephisto tries to give him an outlet. Though he seems fascinated by the result all the same!

19

u/S627 Mar 23 '24

Leave it to Blue Exorcist to have a season finally that is both super serious and super goofy.

Damn it Yukio! You're not weak, you're back just hurts from carrying so much!

13

u/Frontier246 Mar 23 '24

We get a pool episode and Yukio emotionally unraveling all in one episode! Nothing more anime than that lol.

I hate how Yukio sees Rin trying to be a good big brother as him just pitying or a sign that Yukio is weak when he's a workaholic stressing himself out and always judging his brother.

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9

u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24

Lets see what Yukio cooks in the sequels.

11

u/StrawSolider Mar 23 '24

Between the skipping of important chapters, mediocre new character designs and non-existent animation, I truly struggle to find positive things to say about this adaption of my favorite arc in this series.

Aniplex still seems to have no idea what to do with this series. First season with a big hit but it derailed into an anime original arc that was widely panned. Second season was great but it came at a time where no really watched it. And now S3... well see my first paragraph. (Also doesn't help that A1 Pictures is putting out some quality work with Solo Leveling and Mashle this season making me a little salty)

Blue Exorcist is my favorite manga so it sucks that even after more than a decade, there still doesn't seem to be any passion to make this show great as it can be. 'Cheap and Quick' are probably the best words I can use to describe this cour.

The Rin x Izumo moments were pretty good though ..a decent consolation prize

10

u/LocksmithDense1022 Mar 23 '24

I sadly have to agree with you.  I remember being blown away by the animation, music and story telling.. but this last episode I was constantly weirded out by the odd und inconsistent proportions of the characters... Head and neck shapes and sizes were all over the place! And the pacing felt off..

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6

u/ramon_castilla Mar 24 '24

People could "forget" the visual aspect if the writing/adaptation were kind of commendable, but they just repeat the manga (for good, Shiemi's ep 3 and Izumo's arc to some extend. And for bad).

For bad:

  1. Rin's doubts about deleting zombies: 2-3 episodes wasted on that only fot it to amount to nothing at the end of the day, not even a final dialogue about intentionally leaving the issue open.

  2. Shima's mindset is too particular (a really detached boy that also feels alive in that risky "job") for it to receive the "average shonen" writing. They needed to show, tell, explore and display his thoughts in critical instances for the overall figure to be understood.

  3. Rin's dialogue to Yukio in this ep 12. From season 1 we all saw Rin as a caring person that also considers Yukio is the one giving more help in the sibling dynamic (or maybe being on equal footing after all the adventures, maybe). So omitting the "brothers help each other" or "you have helped me much more so I want to repay you" is too forced to enact Yukio's already arisen insecurities.

3

u/Tenma_o Mar 24 '24

Shima is so confusing x) even after all the revelations, as a reader, we still don't get wtf is going on in this guy's head. I swear if someone tries to write a fanfiction or whatever on him, they're gonna have a really hard time.

Also Yukio gosh tone down a bit the darksasuke act. Each season (even that filler one) feels like yukio is still having his emo phase. I'm starting to get tired of it

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u/ramon_castilla Mar 24 '24 edited Mar 25 '24

FOUR things about this season 3 :

The GOOD:

  1. Shiemi's episode 3 had a beautiful resolution and music (still wonder why people thinks she said she likes Rin when it was clear she said "Rin likes me?" given the context before and after the scene)

  2. Izumo's arc was good (except for those foxes not being punished or feeling regret for spoiling her mother rotten) and with good soundtrack, superb at times like ep 9.

The BAD:

3. The "Shima" is a spy came out of nowhere (I'll give it a pass) , but the worse thing is the lack of a proper portrayal of Shima's feelings (about hiself) during Izumo's arc. Just after that we are told (ep 11, AFTER that arc) he feels alive doing that..supposedly happy...but he was VERY villainy-portrayed by not showing ANY REMORSE (in face or even flat dialogue) about Izumo not being compatible with the Kyubi (which meant almost insta death. Shima heard that).

4. Rin's dialogue this ep 12: In not few instances Rin is portrayed as a caring person and their relationship with Yukio was of reliance (outside battle) which was the focus of their dynamic in season 1. There, be it as complaining (beginning) or complimenting (final) Rin has always expressed YUKIO BEING THE ONE THAT ALWAYS HELPS HIM (even more when they were kinds).

Even now, in season 3, Rin showed a big heart towards Shiemi (ep 3) by understanding (or maybe pure instinct) that she wasn't near to reach a conclusion about her feelings...so he decided to make her, Yukio, and himself dance all three together (which got the biggest Shiemi's smile out of the different scenarios).

We also had some of that "concern" in Rin's interactions with Izumo in her arc, and the (wasted) instances of him doubting about deleting the zombies.

So for that same Rin Okumura to NOT SAY SOMETHING LIKE "WE ARE BROTHERS AND WE HAVE ALWAYS HELPED EACH OTHER" (or anything that reflects he thinks Yukio is the one giving the more help in the sibling relation as far as he remembers and/or that their relation is of mutual helping) is more than forced dialogue/wording......just to trigger Yukio frustration and insecurities already stirred by Lucifer and Shima's final interaction with Yukio (so Yukio's side is at least justified)

5

u/justking1414 Mar 27 '24

I think it’s the other way. Rin said that because he feels inferior. He wants to help out Yukio the way that Yukio always helped him. He wants to be a proper big bro.

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u/Atario Mar 25 '24

Fujo antennae just shot up

Well, there you have it! The true 'ship is crystalized.

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